It was Queen Soraya's necklace, I'm pretty sure this was either sold at auction or on display somewhere, France maybe. Socal, I agree 100% with you, Rania would look lovely in this. And a new tiara (a sapphire at that) would look beautiful on her.

This necklace is gorgeous but I do wish that it had two more sapphire elements on the bottom row to even things out, especially if it gets turned into a tiara. It would just give it a smoother line and keep it from sort of jutting out. I know I am being quite nit-picky but I just can't help it when my sense of symmetry and balance (such as it is) get thrown off!:)
And Rania should grab her martian green emerald tiara and see if she can trade it in for this one 'cause she would look fabulous in this!

Another beautiful sapphire masterpiece, I wonder where it is today? Hopefully not holed up in a museum somewhere. These things should be worn, out in the public!:)

It's now sitting in a glass case in the Louvre, never to be worn again. The parure was auctioned by the late Comte de Paris as part of his breakup and dispersal of the Orléans Royal heritage. Members of his family tried to stop the auction (I believe it was held in Switzerland) but were unsuccessful. This is one of two diamond and sapphire parures he sold at different auctions; both are now on display in the Louvre.

The sixty four thousand dollar question is why did the blitthering idiot and fool do it? Did he hate the whole business of being who he was or was he totally incompetent and simply wasted his life and heritage away in idiotic debauchery of any number of kinds. If I got my grubby hands on such marvelous toys you may be sure they would never have gone anywhere near the Louvre. It is enough to make my monarchist blood run cold. Of course all these Bourbons and Orleans people were not the birghtest pennies in the pocket by a long shot. One of this idiots ancestors could have been King of France after Napoleon III lost the Franco-Prussian War but he refused to recognize the tricolour. Can you imagine anybody that dumb, that supid. Maybe it is a good thing he did NOT become the King of France. Cheers. Thomas Parkman

The parure on the picture is not in the Louvre. This one was sold to one of the middle east kingdoms without any announcement. Such a shame...
The diamond and sapphire parure in the Louvre belonged privately to the queen Marie Amelie (Louis Philippe's wife) who had bought it from La Reine Hortense, Josephine's daughter, and Louis Napoléon's wife.
This parure was frequently worn by the late Comtesse de Paris before her husband sold it secretly to the museum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warren

It's now sitting in a glass case in the Louvre, never to be worn again. The parure was auctioned by the late Comte de Paris as part of his breakup and dispersal of the Orléans Royal heritage. Members of his family tried to stop the auction (I believe it was held in Switzerland) but were unsuccessful. This is one of two diamond and sapphire parures he sold at different auctions; both are now on display in the Louvre.

Almost too many to choose from but my faves are:
Marie Feodorovna's brooch (now owned by QEII)
Parure that belonged to Princess Diana plus her engagement ring
Don't know if it's actually hers or not but several years ago Princess Caroline was on the cover of an American magazine with an absolutely spectacular set

Princess Máxima's sapphire earrings, broche and double bracelets during an official diner in The Hague, 2002.

The sapphires once were part of the partly broken up 1901 Wedding Gift Diademe by Israël & Hoetig Jewellers Amsterdam. It is believed the diademe was dismantled to create a whole set of personal jewelry for the daughters of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard.

The Princess only wore a few items (earrings, broche, bracelet) but she did look fabulous.

So Queen Marie-Amelie´s beautiful sapphires are now adorning the head of one the wives of an oilsheikh? To awfull!

Anyway, it can get worse, there wore rumours that Victoria Beckham bought herself the poltimore tiara.... ´say it isn´t so´.

Hmmm...I had heard rumours that a woman from China had purchased the Poltimore...frankly, I would rather see it on ANY public figure (i.e. royal) than some anonymous rich person.

As for the Parure Marie-Amelie, I don't mind it so much being in the collection of an "oil sheikh" as you put it. I only wish that we ever saw these royal wives at public functions...unfortunately that is one of the draw-backs to the more conservative followers of my religious community...

I think that the French Crown Jewels are perfect for display in the Louvre. As many of you might have noticed, France is a republic, and has been for quite some time...I'd much rather go see them for myself, and if it was the choice of the late Comte to sell them, who am I to question his judgement?

My favourite suite of sapphires would have to be Princess Caroline's. For sheer unadulterated class those Cabochon Sapphires in their unique and understated settings whilst being "in your face" are also absolutely fabulous!
Princess Mary's brooch is also unique, understated, yet also "in your face". So maybe my favourites are a tie!

Both of these ladies have the elan to be able to wear incredibly distinctive jewelry and not be eclipsed by it.

__________________MARG"Words ought to be a little wild, for they are assaults of thoughts on the unthinking." - JM Keynes

I love sapphires. They aren't my jewel [that would be pearl for June], but I'd love to have a nice sapphire necklace to call my own. That said, this thread is a joy to look through.

__________________"The grass was greener / The light was brighter / The taste was sweeter / The nights of wonder / With friends surrounded / The dawn mist glowing / The water flowing / The endless river / Forever and ever........ "

It was stolen from a Hindu idol and later came into the belonging of the likes of King LouisXIV,XVI and Marie Antoinette even.Evelyn Walsh Maclean was the last proprietor to feel the power of the stone's wrath.
Also just before Jean Harlow's untimely death she was given a huge blue sapphire ring by William Powell.Originally a sapphire for a king and very regal in all settings I think I will pass.